Ideas to Improve Your Research Pillar

Things you could do:

• Go to the e-Learning for Healthcare webpage – ‘Allied Health Professionals’ Careers’ – for Resources supporting becoming an AHP and your AHP career prospects

• Keep up to date with professional developments via professional forums – what are the ‘hot topics’ concerning your profession at the moment

• If you subscribe to a professional journal, read and reflect on one article per month which will contribute to your CPD

• Find a ‘buddy’ to share discussions about the journal articles you have read. What are the key messages you have taken away and how will they contribute to your future practice?

• Look for online discussion forums for your professional group or interests. Contribute to the discussions with peers

• Look for online journal clubs – Twitter is probably a good space to start and if you can’t use Twitter, ask someone to help you make a start

• Contact your local Research and Development team to find our more about their work

• Seek out opportunities to participate in data collection for research or clinical trials. Ensure you understand the research protocol and the language of research being used

• Establish a ‘research group’ in your team where you can discuss current practice or innovation. Is there an evidence base to support what you are doing or want to change

• Undertake a mini-project which attempts to use evidence to answer questions arising from your research group

• Engage in audit and service improvement activities in your area of work

• If you have current students in your team / area, find out more about what they are studying and any research they are doing

• Look for local or online learning to support your skills as a researcher or enquirer

• Work with students / peers / universities / managers / R&D departments to write up your local activities for presentation at meetings or conferences

• Develop posters to share your research findings at conferences or other local learning events